After a quiet, 16-point season in
2012, senior attackman Jack Krzyston exploded for 81 points. He was
the Liberty League offensive player of the year and a first team
All-American, helping RIT make the national title game. Now his
younger brother, Jay, a defenseman for the Tigers, is eyeing a
similar breakout junior campaign. (Kevin P. Tucker)

The only person who saw Jack Krzyston's monstrous 2013 season
coming was Jack Krzyston.

Coming off a sophomore campaign in '12 when he amassed just 10
goals and six assists while ceding much of his playing time to the
likes of Tyler Russell, Brendan McDonald and A.J. Tingle, Krzyston
was due to improve his production. But a 50-goal, 29-assist season
for a team-leading 81 points, Liberty League offensive MVP and
first-team All-American honors?

"It was definitely his break-out year and he certainly exceeded
our expectations," said RIT head coach Jake Coon.

Krzyston's personal expectations never changed, however. He just
needed his chance.

"The big thing was getting on the field," Kryzston said. "My
first two years, I didn't get a lot of playing time. I didn't
really change the way I played or anything; I just finally got my
shot."

As the Tigers prepare for this spring, there is a possibility
history could repeat itself, albeit with another Krzyston.

Jay Krzyston, Jack's younger brother by two years, is entering
his junior season on much the same career arc. He hasn't found a
lot of playing time in his first two seasons on RIT's defense,
sitting behind the likes of poles Elliot Cowburn and Evan Burley.
He is expected to be at least part of a four-way close defense unit
this spring, with a decent chance at earning a starting spot.

"I guess only time will tell. We'll see," said Jay. "Obviously,
I'm not going to take any opportunity for granted, but at the same
time, I'm more focused on getting the win. If that means I have to
do something special, I'll do it. If that means that I have to get
certain stats for that game, I'll do it. But it's all about the
team goals first."

"He's finally getting a handle on the defense and where to be,"
Coon said of Jay. "The biggest improvement has been his
communication. He was very quiet last year and we couldn't get him
to open his mouth for anything. This year, I told him, 'If you
don't open your mouth, we can't play you.' He's definitely come a
long way in being vocal. It's a difficult thing for guys who are
quiet to come out of their shell and be vocal. He's made an effort
to do that."

* * *

Unfair or not, there is a perception about the Krzyston
brothers.

They are not the type of brothers who are always goofing around
or getting each other in trouble. They don't necessarily hang out
with each other a lot, and there is a natural sibling competition
simmering just beneath the surface. They are both very focused on
the task at hand, whether that's getting their engineering degree
or winning a national championship.

"We're definitely brothers, but at the same time, we have a more
reserved approach towards each other," admitted Jay. "Especially
since it's around lacrosse, and on the field or in the locker room,
we tend to be a little more serious because that's the nature of
the team."

"I think we have a real strong, brotherly love for each other,"
added Jack.

This low key relationship feeds into the notion that the
brothers are quiet. In addition to outlining how Jay needed to
become more vocal, Coon said that Jack doesn't say a whole lot on
the field, either, and it's been something the staff has been
trying to work on for the last three years.

"Not that Jack isn't a leader, because he does lead in his own
way," Coon said. "It's just not always vocally."

It's something that rankles the elder Krzyston.

"I totally disagree. That's just kind of how coaches have
perceived us," Jack said, with an edge. "We're not going to be the
two guys screaming our heads off, but we communicate and when the
time comes, we'll talk. But we're not going to be the two boneheads
just screaming to get noticed and get attention. We're not just
going yell to yell. Coach Coon likes guys who are real vocal and
Jay and I can be vocal, but we aren't those guys that are just
screaming."

Their volume aside, it's the other similarities between the two
that makes it a real possibility that Jay could make an impact like
Jack this year, but on the defensive end. They are both consistent
– Coon labels them both as "steady Eddies" – and are
tireless workers in the weight room and during practice.

Jack is hoping that his younger brother will get the opportunity
to follow in his footsteps.

No. 2 RIT Tigers

2013 Record: 19-3, NCAA Runner-Up

Top Returner: Jack Krzyston, Sr.
The team-leading 81 points (52G, 29S) are impressive, but it's
Krzyston's efficiency - he scores on half of the shots he takes -
that sets him apart.

X-Factor: G Anthony Deleo, Sr.
Junior Pat Johnston (7.23 GAA, 63.5% Svs) is the incumbent goalie
after guiding the Tigers to the title game. But RIT has the luxury
of DeLeo, who went 15-3 in 2012, on standby.

Jay Krzyston (34) earned some
time on defense last spring behind a stacked backline, but he'll be
a bigger factor in 2014. Will he have the breakout junior season
that his brother, Jack, had last spring? Maybe, but both brothers
are more concerned with team goals. (RIT Sports
Information)

"I wouldn't be surprised if he did what I did," Jack said,
referring to a huge junior year. "I got some great individual
awards, and I feel Jay is the same way as me. We've just got to get
some playing some time, get our chance. There is no doubt in my
mind that he will perform at his best when his number is called.
It's just a matter of getting on the field."

* * *

There's a duality in the relationship between the Krzyston
brothers. On one side is a great admiration and respect for the
other.

"He sees the field as well, if not the best, of anyone I've ever
covered personally," Jay said of his older brother. "That's what
makes it hard to defend him because you never know. Obviously,
you're playing on the same field, but you don't know what he sees.
He probably sees things that a lot of people miss and that just
allows him to make plays, whether it's making a pass or putting it
into the net."

"He's a really smart kid," said Jack of Jay. "In the classroom
and on the field, he just gets it. Obviously, he's a bigger kid.
He's really strong. He's one of the strongest kids on the entire
team. He's been working on his footwork and speed since he got
here. Overall, his understanding of the game and the defense kind
of sets him apart."

On the other side of the relationship is a fierce competition
between the two. When Jack first picked up the sport growing up in
the Syracuse area, he gravitated toward being an attackman. Jay,
who started the sport a bit later, became a defender. And because
Jay has followed behind his brother, it has created a mild
tension.

"There's a bit of a competition or rivalry there," Coon said.
"When I was recruiting Jay, his parents certainly mentioned that
you don't want to call him Jack. You kind of want to stay away from
that. He's lived in his brother's shadow and doesn't necessarily
care for that. They are great kids and there's no animosity, but
they push each other in a good way."

It's not uncommon for the Brothers Krzyston to get paired off in
practice. The brotherly rivalry manifests quickly when that
happens, but for varying reasons.

"Personally, Jay is probably the last defenseman I'd want to go
up against in practice, and it's not just because he's my brother,"
Jack said. "He's a great player and being his brother, I don't want
him to take the ball away from me because I'll be hearing about
that for a couple of days. That wouldn't be too good for me. I
think Jay is a great player and we have a great defense, but again,
he's probably the last person I'd want to go up against."

"I like to go against everyone," said Jay. "I like to see the
variety. I know that if I go up against one type of player, that
won't prepare me for a game. I like going against Jack as much as
anyone else. He has got a different style than some of the other
players and it's good to become acquainted with his skill set just
as other players."

Whatever the difference between the Krzyston brothers, they are
united by two certainties. They will always be brothers and they
want to win a national championship during this final season
playing together.

"We both started playing sports together when we were four or
five, so to end it together on the same team at the same school, I
couldn't ask for anything more," Jack said. "We played on the same
teams our whole lives, so why not end it together? It's a special
thing and I know our parents are really going to enjoy it."

Lacrosse Magazine will continue its 2014 college lacrosse
preview throughout January and into February, with team-by-team
breakdowns of the top teams in NCAA Division I, II and III men's
and women's lacrosse. Follow the countdown at LaxMagazine.com/LMRanks and on twitter
at #LMRanks.